Arigatou gozaimasu, minna-san, for all the lovely reviews! They do wonders for my productivity on this story (hint hint) ^-~ A special thanks to Karina Kineshi, Omochi, and Sammy-chan for sticking with this story and giving me all kinds of nice reviews, and to Venusskies for giving me the swift kick in the arse I needed. To all my other readers, here's a Kenshin: ^-^x and a hug ::squeeze::
I haven't done one of these in a while, so…
Disclaimer:
Kenshin belongs to Kaoru.
The rooster belongs to the fox.
They all belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki.
If you sue, all you'll get are socks.
(yes, I'm aware that was awful…) @@
Desert RoseBy Lady Calliope
Chapter Nine: Meetings Amidst Conundrum
The consistent thud of his horse's hooves on the sandy terrain was the only sound that greeted him that early morning. Not quite having outlived its time, the moon still hung stubbornly low in the eastern sky as the golden sun was yawning and stretching its arms out on the western horizon. It was odd, really, to see both celestial bodies nestled amongst the vastness of the sky at the same hour, but he knew other, far stranger things had happened in this desert kingdom.
Like emperors befriending bandits, for instance.
He smiled as the familiar irony of it all struck him. Of course, it wasn't the first time he had realized the bizarre nature of his friendship with "Sanosuke-sama," but every time he traveled the worn path to the capital found himself laughing lightly at his destination. I wonder what the people would think if they found out their emperor consorted with thieves…Kenshin mused, gripping the reigns tighter as a cloud of dust was kicked up by a sudden gust of wind.
They would tell him to watch his purse when he played Ickbah with them, that's what, he decided, knowing all-too well the nature of his friends gambling habits. Sanosuke had lost a proportional sum of money at the Hitokiri camp one night not so long ago, having had too much wine to drink and not enough wit to play the dice game sensibly. It was a miracle the kingdom didn't fall into debt, but, then again, Fortune seemed to smile frequently upon the little, sandy empire.
Alcohol and money aside, though, Sano's turning out to be quite the emperor, the Battousai acquiesced silently, the dunes rising and falling in front and behind him like dry waves in a sable ocean. Must have been his sister's influence.
* * *
By the time he had reached the capital, the early morning hours had given way to the hustle and bustle of another day. People milled about the crowded streets, vendors shouted sugary propaganda speckled with prices at the passerbys, women carried various sized woven bowls on their heads filled with a plethora of goods, and the sights and smells of the city gave the observer a general feeling of prosperity and common commotion. This was his home, the place where he had been born and raised, and he never tired of the city's constant activity. Instead, he quite welcomed it. As he neared the edge of the crowd, however, he was forced to dismount his horse and lead it carefully through the throngs by the reigns, taking his time so as not to appear conspicuous. The scar on his cheek did very little to conceal him from curious eyes, and he was thankful that the flaps of his head-wrap managed to partly cover his cheeks. In places like this, he never wore the other flap that covered his face from the eyes down.
The people were wary of a man with yellow eyes, not a crossed scar.
His hand was drawn unconsciously to his marred left cheek, the rough texture of the skin at that spot in shocking contrast to the softness of that which surrounded it. He remembered the days he had received each of the marks that came together in the shape of an "x" on his face; he remembered each with more vivid detail than should be possible. And on each separate day, he had forever gained a scar and forever lost a friend. He shook his head to clear the memories, no one noticing the fleeting stain of wetness that was hastily wiped from his left cheek.
After walking, tugging, and patiently making his way towards the heart of the thriving city, the great marble structure of the palace loomed in his view, dominating the entire vivacious scene. It was like a white, luster giant set among small, clay-colored blocks: a great child and his playthings. From here, decisions that could potentially bolster or potentially destroy the little block city were made. From here, the fate of the entire populous could be commanded. From here, he had fled five years ago, and to here he had returned not so long ago.
Instead of heading straight for the main gate, he turned sharply to the right and followed the monstrous stone wall around the palace for what seemed like moments to him, but was actually quite a while to the casual onlooker. As he neared what could be deemed the back of the palace, there came into view a smaller version of the main gate fastened into the side of the wall. He approached this gate and passed through it easily, the single guard already quite accustomed to seeing his face about the grounds.
Once inside, the sparse surroundings of the desert gave way to an oasis, the only one within the city. Green grass provided a cool, plush carpeting to soothe his feet from the sand's scorching heat, a welcome relief for any weary traveler. Flora and fauna of all origins, colors, and fragrances grew boundlessly throughout the gardens, some even reaching their earthy fingers up the walls and over the top to the world beyond. Occasionally, a quiet, marble fountain would come into view, it's white basin encompassing enough width for a man to easily swim four full strokes across it. He had counted seven of these grand fountains in the gardens during his previous visits, and had seen them more times than he could recall, but they never ceased to amaze him with their simple, flowing beauty. The gardens were a paradise he had treasured since childhood, and he never tired of just wandering their worn paths and enjoying the small feeling of tranquility he experienced each time he did so.
So enraptured was he by the beauty surrounding him that he failed to detect the fast approach of a wooden object. Its presence was felt all too late as he met the ground, an angry, throbbing lump already appearing on his forehead. He fell with one undignified exclamation of surprise.
"Oro?!"
The world went black.
* * *
He awoke sometime later to the cool sensation of liquid on his skin, and a moment later his mind registered the feeling of someone dabbing his sore forehead with a wet cloth. Consciousness was slow to fully return, but as soon as his eyes were able to focus he thought he might still be sleeping. Eyes of the deepest sapphire gazed down intensely at him, seemingly pinning him to the spot where he lay with merely their presence. The blue orbs were riddled with a look of concern, and for a moment he found himself once again without breath.
"Are you awake? Gods, I am so very, very sorry, sir; I didn't see you there!"
Pushing himself into a sitting position, he felt his head for the lump he was sure he had received from the blow. It was there, most definitely, the dull pain becoming an added, steady part of his conscious state for what would most likely be a few days. His gaze turned to meet the anxious voice of his "attacker," surprise flooding his mind instantly: a woman. Of course, somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that those eyes and voice could only belong to a woman, but being knocked out has a tendency to affect the normally logical parts of the brain, thus his sudden state of shock. But it wasn't only the fact that she was a woman, it was the fact that she was a woman with a wooden practice sword. That was what truly had caused him to react so astonished. As soon as he recovered from his initial shock, however, a feeling of admiration and respect quickly replaced the look on his face.
This woman was different.
"I don't think moving around would be a good thing to do right now. You should stay still until the household physician arrives," she warned, her cerulean focus drawn to the tender, pinkish knot on his head.
He found himself smiling for no apparent reason at all.
"No, really, I'm alright," he assured her, standing up and offering a hand to help her do the same.
"Are you sure?" she queried, her eyes flickering with the slightest hint of doubt. She took his hand and stood up as well. At full height, she came about to the man's chin.
He reassured her with his smile. "Yes, but thank you for your concern. You have a pretty strong stroke."
She felt a small glimmer of resent at the words 'pretty strong.' "Well, I have been studying swordsmanship since I was little," she replied, a little indignant. Who was this guy, anyway?
The trace of anger did not pass by him unnoticed. "Ah, sorry if I offended you, miss. If it makes you feel any better, you're the first person that's knocked me out in quite some time," he hastened, eager to appease her but not entirely sure why.
Relief flooded through him when she smiled. "Don't worry about it. Come, let's get you checked out by Megumi."
Apparently, it did not strike her odd at all that she was inviting a complete stranger inside the royal family's home. All that mattered was his health. Again, he found himself smiling for absolutely no reason at all as she lead him through the halls and passageways that he had known intricately since childhood. He didn't have the heart to tell her he knew where he was going.
As they rounded the last corner to the medicinal room, a certain spiky-haired emperor was making his way down the same hall. Said emperor was, at first, taken very much aback at the sight of the two before him, but he followed his surprise immediately with a wide grin.
"Well, I see you two have already met. This makes things a little easier," he informed them, walking up to the pair. At the confused look in both his friends' gazes, he guessed what was amiss with his statement and shook his head, his smile only broadening.
"Kamiya Kaoru, meet Himura Kenshin."
* * *
She did a double take.
"You're having a what?!"
The three of them were standing in the medicinal room some time after the encounter in the hall, Kaoru having insisted that at the very least some soothing balm be applied to Kenshin's injured forehead. She was rapidly regretting her insistence on the matter as Sanosuke continued.
"A banquet," he answered patiently for what must have been the third time. "You know, dancing, food, guests, music…A banquet."
She had never experienced a greater need to pummel him than she did at that moment. "I know what a banquet is, Sano," she replied through clenched teeth, balling her fists in an attempt to cover her embarrassment. What if Sanosuke's friend thought she was an unrefined, ignorant tomboy because of some comment like that?! Honestly, sometimes he has no tact whatsoever! she screamed silently. "I used to live here too, you know. I'm just a little…surprised, that's all."
He chuckled softly to himself. If you're surprised now, just wait until the banquet starts…
"What?" she deadpanned, fixing him with her fiercest glare. "Yukishiro Sanosuke Sagara, you're doing that laugh again. Tell me exactly what's happening right now or start praying to the gods for protection, because I will personally wring your royal neck within the next five seconds if you don't."
"Well, since you asked me so nicely," he muttered, stepping away a small distance so as to clear himself from her wrath. Although Kaoru may not be able to defeat him in combat, she was skilled enough to cause him some very painful bodily harm if provoked. "The banquet is…see, since you were coming home and all, and it's been so long…"
"Sano…" she cautioned, slowly advancing towards him.
"The banquet is in your honor," he finished quickly, glancing at her upraised fist. "You and Megumi will be recognized among the guests of honor."
She stopped dead in her tracks. "You…we…what…"
Before she had even the slightest chance to retaliate against him, the emperor hastily told her the remainder of the banquet's plans. "Don't throttle me just yet, Jou-chan, there's more. See, I know how you hate to be the center of attention and all, so you and Megumi will not be the only two guests of honor. The delegates from Nihamra will be there as well; the peace treaty between our two kingdoms will be signed that night."
She took a few moments to digest this information. Then, she smiled as she thought more and more about it. "I suppose it's not such a bad idea, as long as Megumi and I are not sticking out like sore thumbs. And to finally be at peace with Nihamra…I guess there is a brain in there, after all, baka."
Kenshin watched this little scene with a small, amused smile on his face the entire time. He had never seen his friend more at ease before, and silently he thanked Kaoru for her presence at the palace. Sanosuke had been in desperate need of a break from the strains of his royal duties lately. But the bandit leader noticed his own gaze seemed to drift towards the raven-haired girl almost unconsciously, her face and eyes capturing him with every subtle change and flicker of movement. She was beautiful, there was no doubt, but there was something that hung in the air about her, something that instantly separated her from all the other women he had met. It could almost be described as…
…innocence.
In a way, she reminded him of one of the flowers growing in the gardens below. She was mature, but not so much that she lost all carefree attitude of childhood; she was beautiful, but still blooming; she had tasted enough of the world to know when to close herself off from it, but didn't remain distanced forever. Although she was only a few years younger than himself, she was both naïve yet more worldly than he could ever hope to be.
She was a mystery, and one that greatly intrigued him.
"Hey, Kenshin," Sanosuke called as his friend made his way to the doorway. "I can expect to see you there at the banquet, right? It's in a fortnight."
The redhead hadn't even been aware that he had been walking towards the door until then. "Yes, I'll be there, Sano," he smiled, pausing to look back at the emperor. His gaze then focused on the young woman beside Sanosuke. "It was a pleasure to meet you. Miss Kaoru," he murmured softly, politely nodding his head in farewell. He swept through the arch and was gone.
As soon as he had left, Kaoru turned to her friend. "So that was Himura Kenshin…I would like to know more about him; he seems very interesting," she told the sovereign, trying her best to combat the blush on her face that rose with the memory of his eyes on her. Her gaze kept darting back to the hallway.
" 'Interesting'?" Sanosuke drawled, the doubt evident in his placid tone. "Jou-chan, after knowing you for most of your life, I think I am quite qualified to say that someone has a little crush on a certain redhead…"
She punched him. "I do not have feelings for that guy, baka! We just met!"
Nevertheless, the emperor smiled as he rubbed his jaw. "We'll save it for dinner conversation, then."
His friend proceeded to blush a new shade of scarlet.
* * *
"Have all the arrangements been made, Shishio?"
"Yes, my lord, all is ready. The Nihamran delegates and their prince will be in attendance at the banquet," replied a gruff voice.
"Good," rejoined the first voice. A cold laugh echoed throughout the dark room. "How ironic that a night meant to be the beginning of peace will be the start of a war. The emperor's reign will soon be coming to an end; all we have to do is bide our time."
"And the woman?"
"She may be of some use to us yet…"
The icy voice was smiling.